November 22, 2012

Convicting the 'iPad Hacker' Hurts Us All

The security researcher responsible for exposing a hole in AT&T’s website that revealed more than 100,000 iPad owners’ email addresses and unique device IDs was convicted today on federal charges. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars and fines of up to $500,000. Why is this a big deal for the rest of us? He didn’t actually “hack” AT&T’s system any more than you are “hacking” this website right now.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

The iPad Mini is a conflicted product.It’s much better than the iPad 3 and 4 to handle, carry, and hold up during use. It has the best external design of any iPad to date. It runs cooler than the iPad 3 or 4, it has almost... more ››

While shells and interceptor missiles started flying between Israel and Gaza, Anonymous did what it does best: swore vengeance against a superpower. It had some swagger at first. But as the days go by, we're seeing a weak,... more ››

Not long after I began writing about cybersecurity, I became a paranoid caricature of my former self. It’s hard to maintain peace of mind when hackers remind me every day, all day, just how easy it is to steal my personal... more ››

Pedram Keyani is a manager of engineering on Facebook’s “site integrity” team, meaning he works to keep your account safe from spam and other threats. One of Keyani’s greatest contributions to Facebook,... more ››